Enjoy the silence....

Miss Elizabeth · 04-01-2020 10:46pm #1

I saw something today and it made me think of film scenes with no dialogue or very little of it.

The first one that comes to my mind is the lift scene in Drive. Its a very intense and striking (no pun intended) scene. Having no dialogue or even background music in this case, it really draws in your attention.

Another one I'm thinking of is 2001: A Space Odyssey. I haven't watched it all but I remember the opening scene.

I recall a lot of long silent moments in Lost in Translation too portraying the sexual tension between the two main characters.

Sorry I cant post videos. Anyway obviously irl, we have these quiet moments all the time. I'm not thinking of complete silence but use of it or very little to no dialogue in specific scenes. Any other quiet scenes that stand out?

Atlantic Dawn · 04-01-2020 10:50pm

All Is Lost with Robert Redford...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=no1rl9Gvx-s

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Is_Lost

CatFromHue · 04-01-2020 10:58pm

The start of There will be Blood.

Hell of High Water is bit of a quiet film too.

careless sherpa · 04-01-2020 11:00pm

Hunger by Steve McQueen, almost no dialogue until the one shot dialogue scene

As I was saying... · 04-01-2020 11:35pm

Didn't think much of the film, but Zero Dark Thirty has a very effective twenty-minute scene towards the end which shows the raid on bin Laden's compound without any dialogue.

Arghus · 04-01-2020 11:37pm

Gerry.

steve_r · 05-01-2020 1:02am

Start of Wall-e is very well done

Slydice · 05-01-2020 3:20am

I know it's not the same cos it's a TV show but Mr Robot did an excellent episode this season (it's final season) where...

(following a recap) it begins with 'It's cool dude, we don't have to talk'
no dialogue after that..
and then about 45 minutes later.. just as the episodes ends..
'It's time we talked'

It was really cool. Trailer here but doesn't really give it away:

mikhail · 05-01-2020 3:22am

Valhalla Rising

Mizu_Ger · 05-01-2020 10:56am

Le Quattro Volte

05-01-2020 8:54pm

The heist scene in Rififi (1955) has no dialogue for a half-hour.

bnt · 05-01-2020 9:17pm

There are long sections of Heat (1995) with little or no dialogue, such as the downtown LA shootout and the final shootout.

PS: the film is 25 years old this year. I cannot believe it. It has not aged a bit :cool:

mikhail · 09-01-2020 12:21am

An old favourite of mine that's dialogueless for long stretches is Conan the Barbarian. For example, I love the music, lighting and set design in this early scene in which Conan (freshly escaped from slavery) finds a sword.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYeCNIzyLFc

There's a real sense of awe and wonder. The build up is so patient compared to the empty frenetic pace of many modern action movies.

Another example from the same movie is one of the opening scenes, a devastating raid on Conan's childhood home.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEp76ppPc8o

Again, it's patient, letting the almost operatic score (from Poledouris who also scored Robocop and The Hunt for Red October) set the mood and build tension. It's two minutes before a weapon is used in anger. There's one line of dialogue in the four minute scene.